


happily never after

by fannishtendencies



Series: ~°~ Pokegirls of Justice ~°~ [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Beta Read, But with a different name, F/M, Kinda, Marriage, They deserved better, Worldbuilding, companion fic, pokegirls canon compliant, prequel then goes up to chapter five of pgoj, shipvember, the prompt is angst and I Just So Happened to have this in the back, thx for beta reading moon lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:53:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27582320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fannishtendencies/pseuds/fannishtendencies
Summary: Cassidy came from a violent, cruel world. She didn't know how to handle being taken care of, loved even, by the inhabitants of Terahia. She and her partner play a role far bigger than they'd ever expect in the downfall of the multiverse - and with it, their own doom.Cassidy x Butch. Pokegirls of Justice compliant, prequel up to the end of Chapter Five but from Cassidy's point of view. Major character death, and just general relationship angst.
Relationships: Cassidy | Yamato & Cynthia, Kosaburou | Butch/Yamato | Cassidy, Pokegirls Together, implied onesided Cassidy/Cynthia
Series: ~°~ Pokegirls of Justice ~°~ [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2016206
Kudos: 1





	happily never after

**Author's Note:**

> if anyone expects a happy ending to this read the title again

_ One week. _

_ One week,  _ Cassidy reminded herself as she cracked the Poliwag egg on the side of the frying pan, the sizzle of it provoking a rumble from her stomach. She flicked her wrist upward, making the egg do a flip with a smile. The last time she had attempted that, it had ended up on her face, to the amusement of Butch.  _ I'm getting better everyday.  _

She peered outside, her mind turning to other things.

It would only be seven days until Cassidy and Butch would go to the Palace to perform the Ritual of Entwinement, considered the peak of commitment on Terahia. Cassidy hadn't really considered it much; her relationship with Butch wouldn't change, would it? It was akin to marriages back on their home planet, Monides. Just a useless, time-consuming ceremony.

But Butch had pleaded, and tore down her walls, just as he always did. Now they were simply waiting for the moons to align.

One thing that differed from a marriage: the Ritual required magic, funneled in part by the celestial bodies above. Luckily for Cassidy, who was naturally impatient, the moons aligned at the end of every month. Like a clock, perfectly in time. Of course, Cassidy had been too busy fighting off the Pokemon offering her jobs and homes to learn what the magic actually  _ did _ . But Butch rambled on whenever he could about it - breakfast, lunch, dinner. 

The only thing Cassidy had absorbed from him was that the Ritual was said to "bend Fate itself". Considering how the Terahians often personified Fate, she snorted, imagining a Charizard trying to twist some ethereal being into a balloon animal. It broke her out of her thoughtly trance, and suddenly the acrid smell of burning egg filled her nose.

"Fudge it! Fudge, fudge, fudge," she grumbled, turning off the sleek stove. She opened the window she had been staring out of, letting the smoke filter out, and prayed to Arceus her neighbors wouldn't think she was having a grill out.

The thing about Terahia was that it stood in stark contrast with the ways of other planets. Many species came and went, the only two that truly could be called natives the Pokemon and the Fae, the ruling line of majestic feminine persons. Pokemon were separated into categories and housed accordingly, with sparse villages in all of the eighteen Sectors housing the other peoples. And yet, despite the mixture of races, creeds, types… 

There was peace. 

So many planets, Monides including, had fallen to war over too many things to count. Nine times out of ten, Butch and Cassidy would be caught in the strife, pulled apart and smashed together again, barely alive. The thrill of battle - no, the thrill of  _ surviving  _ \- was something Cassidy secretly missed. But she could never tell her beaten-down Butch that.

_ Never _ .

"Butch! Come get your ass in here, I burned the eggs again!" Best just to get on with it. 

Butch appeared from the upstairs, a playful grin on his face yet again. Cassidy rolled her eyes, but indulged him anyway. "Just come over here and magic them right."

"As you wish," Butch complied, and he began to weave his fingers like he was playing a harp. The strings played a small, almost melancholy tune, tiny glowing blue stars falling over the eggs, and voila - edible food. 

"Time to eat," Cassidy commanded when Butch had began to drift up again. "Whatcha studying now?"

"The Psychic magic," came the muffled reply. "It's really interesting how magic powers this planet."

"Uh huh." She stuffed her mouth to avoid having to respond, even though it certainly hadn't stopped Butch. In reality, she didn't want to think of her adventurous longings, or how she refused to accept Terahia was  _ this  _ perfect. She only wanted to focus on her growling stomach.

In the middle of scarfing down his food, Butch-style, her fiancé pipped up, "Did you hear about the new Pokegirls group? Heard they'll be based on trees or somethin'."

Cassidy rolled her eyes. She knew the barebones of the Terahian mythos, but apparently the Fae called in mysterious superpowered girls that took on the responsibility of protecting their world. They each took on a different name and there had been many different groups, but the collective name was the Pokegirls.

While she had only really learned the Terahian language enough to be fluent and blend in (her success rate low in this aspect), Butch had taken an extreme amount of interest in Terahia culture. He constantly talked to the Pokemon, and borrowed enough books on magic to take them from the closest moon and back. And somehow, he had convinced her that this could be the  _ place _ . Where they could settle, and be free, because  _ everything's perfect here, right? _

And she'd smile tightly and nod. But Cassidy was certain she could turn the tides in his mind. Make him see that they would thrive best on the run.

_ She  _ would thrive best on the run.

  
  


_ ~°~°~°~°~°~ _ **two.** _ ~°~°~°~°~°~ _

  
  


Sparring. It always helped clear Cassidy's head. All her thoughts flew out to the unknown, and the only focus was on where to land the next punch. The second she saw a strike, the focus shifted to a dodge. In battle, you needn't worry about the color of your dress, or if the food will be horrid, or even about the fact that you might be keeping the worst possible secret. The only things you need to worry about are the offense and defense.

It might have come from her learned battle skills, it might have been pure talent. These days, who knew?

Cassidy ducked, blonde pigtails whipping at her back as she aimed a cuff at her opponent's head. The woman sleekly pulled away at the last second with an overdramatic twirl, her knee-length pale hair shining in the dim gym light. Sweat beaded both of their foreheads, neither letting up.

Her rival switched to the offense, letting loose an array of punches aimed at Cassidy's chest so fast eventually one landed, right under her breast. Even with the required pads protecting her, she let out a yelp as pain gathered in the spot.  _ Maybe I should've worn something denser _ , she thought, glancing her white tank top with disdain. Looking up, she noticed her opponent had stopped, respectfully observing from a distance.

Fear jabbed in Cassidy, knowing that look. Before she could endure a mental attack - which had led to her sobbing in the bathroom of their home afterwards the last time it had occurred - she threw up her hands in defeat.

"Alright, I forfeit," Cassidy relented, bowing, fist clenched in the other open palm, as was done to show her respects to the winner. "You are quite a good sparring partner, Your Majesty."  _ Too good, in fact.  _ Most likely because Queen Cynthia was a Fae.

Cynthia nodded, the edge of a smile playing on her lips, her visible eye twinkling. "You as well, Miss Cassidy." She returned the gesture, then began to exit the gym, before turning back, one manicured hand curled against the red doorframe. "Do you want to take a walk?"

"Of - yes, of course!" Cassidy rushed to put on her shagged jacket, embarrassing as it was. It would be rude to refuse the ruler of the world a  _ walk _ , of all things. Cynthia had granted them shelter, food, water, and companionship, free of charge. It made Cassidy all the more suspicious of her, however. 

Pumping adrenaline into her weary legs to catch up with the Queen, Cassidy watched Cynthia stealthily as she could. The woman was elegant in every bit of the sense; her upright posture, hands clasped against her back, spoke volumes of dignity and authority. Her cloak was of a faded black wool, and she wore it everywhere, even when the sun was battering on their back. 

Cassidy would be lying if she said she didn't find her attractive.

How disappointing, then, how her crush was  _ also  _ probably a secret dictator. Or a mad scientist experimenting on the Pokemon. Maybe both.

"You seem lost in thought," Cynthia mused quietly, outstretching her hand. Cassidy reluctantly took it, her cheeks heating.  _ I'm not an infant.  _

_ "I know that." _

Cassidy jerked. Right. She'd almost forgotten how physical contact engaged Cynthia's mind reading. She contemplated pulling away, but found now that her thoughts were focused, her senses sharpened. She had almost walked right into a herd of Bouffalant.

_ "Apologies,"  _ came Cynthia's regal voice inside Cassidy's mind.  _ "I tried to alert you to the incoming peril, but you had not listened." _

_ You don't need to apologize to me,  _ Cassidy replied, crossing the streets. It was odd, how nobody seemed to give the Queen a second glance. There she was, absolutely radiant, and yet not one Pokemon spared a look her way. Hot indignation rose in Cassidy despite herself, and now she was certain. She gently let go of Cynthia's hand as they entered the Sector's park, lest she hear the bubbling pit of agony that was  _ her feelings _ .

Her attention was drawn to the trees. They sprouted from the ground in so many forms, shapes, colors. In a way, they reminded Cassidy of the diversity of Terahia - and how that almost guaranteed their doom.

Cassidy knew from experience how species hated the Others. It didn't matter how trivial the difference was - oftentimes it was that hatred and mistrust that sparked the wars. 

"Want to tell me what's on your mind?"

"What?"  _ Crap.  _ Cynthia was staring directly at her, icy blue meeting Cassidy's deep brown. "Oh. Well." Cassidy struggled to find words under that gaze.  _ Oh, yeah, I think you're sus but my fiancé loves it here and it's also kind of a utopia? But those don't exist?  _ "I'm worried about the ceremony," she stated rather lamely instead, moreso to fill the silence then actually tell the Queen what was going on inside her head.

The Queen sat them both down on a bench Cassidy hadn't even seen until now, closing her eyes as if she was pondering on what to say like Cassidy did.  _ That's stupid. Fae or gods or cute women like her never worry about things like that.  _ "Reminds me of the time right before I married my wife, Elara. I shivered like crazy whenever she entered the room, and one time I even vomited." She chuckled, apparently not noticing the  _ thud  _ of Cassidy's jaw hitting the park floor. There it was, going to bedrock. Into the void.

_ Through the planet. _

"After  _ that  _ little incident," she continued heartily, flapping one hand happily, "we had a talk about it. Just as I advise  _ you  _ to talk to your partner about how you are feeling. Things may or may not work out - but communication is key."

Cassidy normally avoided communication. Communication didn't hunt food in a forest, didn't find water in a desert, and certainly didn't help bring down four villains in one shot. But maybe - just maybe - Cynthia's words held some merit. 

"Thank you," Cassidy ducked her head shyly, but by the time she gained the courage to look again, the Queen had disappeared into thin air. Most likely Teleported, which wasn't out of place, but the timing was odd.

Heading back through the Crown City, Cassidy decided to keep her guard up. Who knew what that Queen was up to.

  
  


~°~°~°~°~°~

This was it. The Ritual of Entwinement was about to take place, and Cassidy was more than a little nervous. Her anxiety pounced any other feeling like a mountain Pyroar. 

Three minutes remained, and at the minute's mark she and Butch - who was dressed in a dapper white tux matching her own black one - joined hands, energy coursing through them.

Queen Cynthia had offered to officiate the ceremony, and  _ Arceus be damned _ , Cassidy couldn't find it in her to say no to her. Now, the Queen donned a regal white dress with long sleeves, the golden trim glittering in the midday sun. She raised her hands up, for all the attendees to see - and there were quite a few. It brought some stage fright to the boiling pot of Cassidy's anxiety potion.

One minute. Butch squeezed his palms around hers, and through all her worrying, she refocused, and smiled. She was doing this all for him, all for him. Whatever happened, they'd get through it together.

" _ Sors tibi et in carne et spiritu simul animam ligare _ ," came an eerie voice, speaking through Cynthia. The Queen began to rise, and a rainbow of colors flowed through her outstretched fingers, weaving and threading through the air in mesmerising arcs. " _ Ne cures, meo arbitrio vilissimi; nam amor est fortissimum in septem mundos. _ "

The trails of light found the two lover's conjoined hands, and Cassidy nearly shrieked at the mind-numbing pain. No, it wasn't  _ pain  _ \- it was overwhelming love. In her haze, she peeked at views from Butch's point of view - watching her laughing, crying, living. Cassidy was experiencing, she realized quickly, Butch's love for her, in materialized form.

She wondered what he was feeling, seeing. 

And then it was over.

Sparks ran across their skin as they were pulled apart forcefully by two helpful Pokemon, a Blaziken and an Audino. Cynthia grinned, sweeping her bangs off her face, and announced their official union to the crowd, which cheered merrily.

They all fell away, of course, when Cassidy met Butch's eyes again. Her only focus then was pressing a big fat kiss on his lips, right then and there.

~°~°~°~°~°~

Bells were ringing. People were laughing. And thus, the reception party had commenced. These were held in the night time, and celebrated not just one, but all the conjoined couples.

It was one of the happiest times of Cassidy's life. She drank wine, ate loads, and danced. Oh, how she had danced.

Her favorite part, though, was when she had taken a breather on the balcony, and none other than her newly-wed husband came out to join her. "Mind if I - "

"Come here, you dork."

They both leaned on the rail, looking out at the glittering night sky.

"Married. Wow."

"Yeah." She felt a hand on hers and turned slowly, raising an eyebrow playfully. "How forward of you."

"May I have this dance?" He extended a hand in pure gentleman fashion, eyes shining with unshed happy tears.

"Of course." She placed her palm in his, fitting them together like puzzle pieces. As they began a waltz, Cassidy stuck her tongue out in concentration, trying  _ not  _ to step her newly-wed's feet. Though she'd never admit it, Cassidy was a bit two-left-footed (feeted?).

They ended it with a slow twirl, her pressed against his chest and his arms wrapped around her body. Both of them wished for that moment never to end.

Sometime afterward, Cassidy had stumbled out of the party again, though this time she was alone. Her sides hurt from laughing too hard, and she nearly crumpled to the ground under the influence of the alcohol. 

That's when the Light spoke to her for the first time.

Little girl. Little girl. Come to me.

_ Who are you _ ? she asked. No answer came. Instead -

I see you. I hear you.

_ No. Leave me be.  _ The transparent feeling that had taken over so suddenly made her grit her teeth.  _ I don't know you... _

I can take away the pain, if you let me…

Somehow, it knew. It knew about everything - she couldn't have stopped it - 

You've been broken, haven't you, little girl?

Her teeth were grinding to keep away the bile rising in her throat. She couldn't deny it, though.

She couldn't deny what she'd been through

I'll take care of you, if you let me…

_ No. Shut up and leave me alone.  _ She longed for Butch, and began to pull away from the telepathic conversation. The voice needed one last thought.

My offer always stands. And in the end, all succumb.

She ran back inside, mind piercing. She wouldn't. Couldn't.

Cassidy knew the tales of people who'd lost their minds to Light and Dark. She'd sworn never to become like them. But the smooth, syrupy promise of simplicity…

Despite herself, she decided to keep the offer in her back pocket.

~°~°~°~°~°~

Of course, let it in even once, and the Light took over. 

It brought her a network of others, like her, thought the Queens were suspicious. It was an echo chamber of rumors and conspiracies, and Cassidy felt her mind slip deeper and deeper in.

She brought Butch along with her, of course. The Ritual had granted them something of heightened senses around each other, not quite mind reading but something similarr.

Butch called the Light the revolution, the cause for freedom. The lies it fed him went down harder in Cassidy's throat, especially since her firsthand experiences of Terahia's kindness still made rounds in her head.

But Cassidy's wish had come true. 

War was coming to Terahia.

The only question was: were they on the side of good this time?

They had been one of the first to join the Organization, as they were calling themselves, and thus, had automatically been high ranked. The Light gave them a special mission during the Palace Raid: killing the heir of the Queens.

Today was the day. They were going to invade the Palace, and finally rid this world of the Queens and their heir. 

They were scouring the castle's rooms as flames began to eat away at the holo-projectors - and yet no baby could be found. Instead, the two ran into none other than Queen Cynthia herself.

"Fia, I love you," she was shouting above the crackling fire, to some figure in the distance. She whipped around at the sound of footsteps, eyes widening in fright at the duo - but then that fear morphed into something else. Something harder -  _ anger _ . It angled her normally soft features - and suddenly, Butch was gripping Cassidy's arm, his touch conveying what he didn't need to say.

" _ Run _ ."

She followed suit. Mere seconds later, the spot where she had been standing blasted to smithereens by a harsh blue light. They sprinted, barely avoiding the blasts right behind them, and for the first time in six months Cassidy felt the worm of guilt in her gut.

The dawn's light greeted them atop a hill. They were barely away from the flaming ruins of the Palace, black and jagged against the early sky. Now that they were safe, the two could only stare at each other in horror. 

_ What have we gotten ourselves into? _

  
  


_ ~°~°~°~°~°~ _ **three.** _ ~°~°~°~°~°~ _

When the fifth Pokegirl had arrived to save the day, Cassidy had known by then that it was over. 

In barely three minutes, it was done. Their final Shadow Pokemon - the strongest of their team, a corrupted Blaziken - had been cured of its impurity by the last Pokegirl to join the group, Pokegirl Kasumi. 

Cassidy felt their eyes on her, and she shut her eyes tight. Trying to dream away the consequences of this failure, trying not to communicate to the Master. But by then it was too late to take anything back. "They're going to come any second now. They'll kill us."

"Who?" The Sylveon, Fia, spat.

Cassidy laughed. She couldn't help it. They were so, so clueless. And could she blame them? The Pokegirls were children, and Earth children at that. They hadn't dealt in matters of the multiverse. "Who do you  _ think _ ? Our replacements."

"Your replacements? What do you - "

A loud  _ bang _ interrupted the Pokegirl who had been talking, and Cassidy stopped pacing, heart picking up pace. She had seen this procedure carried out before, but never had she mused it would be used against  _ her.  _ Against  _ Butch _ .

_ Butch _ .

Cassidy hoped against hope he would forgive her.

Reality tore, and through of purples and blacks emerged a familiar figure, her hair red as blood, clashing against the dark backdrop. Her expression was one of eager malice, and Cassidy recognized her smile. Jessie, Recruit 89-CA113. 

She held onto her BSE gun as if it were a toy. Cassidy despised the way she asked the obvious. Theatre for the Pokegirls. "So… you're Team Rocket?"

Butch embraced Cassidy tightly as she nodded.

"The Organization has been notified that you have run out of Shadow Balls, signifying that your mission has  _ failed _ . Hereby, you are to be  _ eliminated _ , as you have failed your given missions many, many times, and thus are not reliable enough to serve our Master and his new world." 

_ We're going to die.  _ Many times had that thought passed through her head. Only now did it truly weigh with reality. Cassidy's head drooped on her shoulders, biting so hard on her cheek she tasted blood.

"Now hold on a minute - " 

Cassidy refused to go down complacent. She stepped away from Butch, the pain of it radiating from him in a way she couldn't ignore easily. The words that tore her throat were hopeless: 

"Kill me, then, but leave Butch."

"Cassidy,  _ no _ ," Butch slipped his hand around hers, trying to meet her gaze again.  _ It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.  _ She dug her nails into his palm as he pleaded with her, "Please, we'll find another way,  _ please _ \- "

She loved him so much. But he was wrong.

There wasn't another way.

She tucked a stray piece of green hair between his ear, watching the tears begin to trail down his face. If there was one thing she'd regret, it was that she wouldn't be able to comfort him one last time.

She pushed her lips against his, meeting no resistance but no mutual kiss. She nearly broke, because that would be their last kiss.

"Butch. My love, take your time."

Cassidy withdrew away from her lover, taking everything in her to pass his heartbroken look, all his features scrunched. Each step away was smashing a hammer through their bond, the opposite of when they had been Entwined. It created real, physical pain.

There was now a clear line between her and Jessie. They met eyes, and Cassidy held onto one last hope in those last seconds.

Maybe there would be some remorse. Maybe Jessie would back down, and maybe she could fix this. Her future, lost to the Light, flashed through her mind.

Her and Butch, living in Terahia's Crown City. Visiting the Queen every so often, watching her heir grow up, maybe being a godmother. 

Waking up with Butch's smile everyday.

Jessie raised her gun, and fired.

~°~°~°~°~°~

He couldn't process it anymore. His mind had taken enough. No, Cassidy's body wasn't lying in front of him, dead. She couldn't be dead.

" _ Cassidy, _ " he whispered. His voice was cracking as he screamed her name. Over and over. 

But Cassidy's eyes stayed glassy, the life that once shone vibrant now dull as the ground beneath him. 

He could feel his very soul unraveling. He wouldn't last much longer, he knew. The Ritual had ensured the death of the two would stay close together, and he was doing everything he could to fight it as it was.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the vial of Bad Soul Energy, the dark fluid gurgling inside. Staring at his lover's killer, he smashed it against the ground, the liquid seeping into the grass, killing it. "You won't use any Energy we collected." A plain statement, but also a last act of rebellion. His mind was numbing, and he couldn't bear it anymore.

"Done with your little temper tantrum? I'm ready to finish the job when you are." 

He had never hated somehow as much in his entire life.

He turned to the Pokegirls, feelings clashing in themselves. But the magic of his bond seemed to block out his Master's Light, if just for a moment. "You - This isn't your fault, no matter how much I want to blame you.  _ Please _ , you have to stop the Organization. I wish you didn't have to see this."

He truly did.

"Tick tock, loverboy. You ready to die?"

Butch met her crimson eyes, lifted his chin, and smiled back. He saw the small glimpse of anger at that, and the smile grew.

_ I'm coming, Cass. _

He didn't even feel it.

~°~°~°~°~°~

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> anyways time to write some fia angst backstory next :)


End file.
